A blog containing random thoughts, bits of life, creations from my art room and tales of a cat named Orlando and a puppy named Siddy

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I Decided to Make Some Cards

On a grey day there is time to do a quick catch up of the latest makings from the craft room – I just thought you might have missed the playing about with inks and stamps and doodles ……… I do hope I’m not being presumptuous, but you know it’s all been about Kakapo’s and free books in recent weeks……. I haven’t been at all idle. In between the doing up of the conservatory to make me a forest like feel in the middle of the city and much yarn work, there are at least 60 – yes SIXTY – new hand made greeting cards packed away. Christmas is all but taken care of 😀

First up is a pile of new inkies, neatly packed up into assorted colour packs of six cards, no envelopes. There’s about 40 of these, ready for anything that comes my way – this is a small selection of colours. For some reason I did not photograph any of the mauve, yellow or green combos of colours …….. but you get the idea and, anyway, you’ve seen these before

When I got tired of those I went on to playing with Distress Inks and die-cut silhouettes, also all neatly and individually packed up, complete with envelopes – this is a small selection

Then I discovered some old serviettes that required something doing with, so they got made into cards too – complete with their own hand made envelopes because the finished size of the cards was inconsiderate of mass produced envelopes

and my personal favourite

Next, I went here. Here is playing with pens and pencils and inks and stamps and doodles and seeing what comes out in the end – again a very small selectionAnd just in case you missed him here is Siddy in his new bandanna, looking rather coy ….

Finally, I’ve been watching Jacinda via YouTube make her way through the UN and American talk shows. It’s so nice to feel proud of the person who represents our little country. I don’t believe I’ve ever felt that before from preceding Prime Ministers – not even the two women who previously held the position. Her maiden address to the UN ended with this:

“Perhaps then it is time to step back from the chaos and ask what we want. It is in that space that we’ll find simplicity. The simplicity of peace, of prosperity, of fairness. If I could distil it down into one concept that we are pursuing in New Zealand it is simple and it is this. Kindness. In the face of isolationism, protectionism, racism – the simple concept of looking outwardly and beyond ourselves, of kindness and collectivism, might just be as good a starting point as any. So let’s start here with the institutions that have served us well in times of need, and will do so again……….. “

80 thoughts on “I Decided to Make Some Cards”

Oh my … very well done Pauline, The style of the new cards is very me. 🙂 … Thanks for sharing the wonder words of your PM. Unfortunately, our leader doesn’t encourage the masses. … Hi Pauline, as I start to re-emerge … A head rub for the dapper Siddy.

Always nice to hear and see what’s going on with you and yours:) I won’t lie, I got a little jealous reading about Jacinda. Kindness. Sigh. I miss that here in the US. I miss so much lately. I miss the US! Not that things were ever perfect here, but our leaders exhibited more kindness and humanity. My friends and I are mostly sad with a good dose of despondency and anger. And yet, we persist as best we can.
Siddy smiles make me smile:)

All my American friends feel the same way as you Cheryl, and I’m sorry for bringing that home so strongly. Most certainly your Obamas were leaders to be proud of. Persist on, for all things pass and hopefully we learn from the hard as well as enjoy the easy.

Being proud of one’s leader? What an amazing feeling that must be . . . We here in America wouldn’t know, at least not lately. Our leader gets more cringeworthy and detestable by the moment. The photo of Siddy cracks me up–he looks a little mischievous, just ready to go on a tear around the house. And your cards–what effort and creativity you put into these! I, of course, like the ones with cats best . . .

Hello Mackenzie, and thank you – this is such a lovely compliment 🙂 I don’t have an Etsy shop, I do have a small shop here on my blog, you will see it under the top banner pic. I sell very little and mostly to readers of my blog on request. There’s a form on the shop page to contact me if there is something in particular you want, I am always very happy to try and meet needs. Please be aware though, I am in NZ and depending on where you are there are postage costs to consider. Thanks again for the lovely compliment and your interest.

She WAS good! And pretty funny, talking about her partner knocking over a flag. I caught that one last night. Colbert is incorrigible. He wants everyone to say bad things, but not everyone can. They were on much better territory talking about Hobbiton.

The cards are beautiful. My favorite is “she packed up all her potential…”. Siddy is adorable no matter what his modeling pose. Thanks for ending with the words from you PM. At least there is one sane, intelligent person in the world. Let’s hope that sanity is catching.

Beautiful cards, Pauline. I like the “Eat Cake” one too, though the “Opera” one is awesome. They’re all adorable. 🙂 And I want to move to New Zealand now. Jacinda’s statement almost brought tears to my eyes. Kindness as a goal? That is sooooo far from what the US is experiencing, it’s heartbreaking. Maybe there is hope for the future and New Zealand will show us all how it’s done. ❤

Diana, thank you! I hear there are many Americans applying to come here, we may have to tighten our borders 😀 Or at least check their politics….. ? There is hope for the future, there always is. You just need a younger, well rounded, well raised and loved, well educated woman to lead you on. She’s there somewhere……

Your cards are so beautiful, Pauline. You put so much love into each one. A treasure for anyone to receive. Siddy looks very handsome in his new bandana. And what tops off your post to make it all the more special are the words of your PM. Oh, how wonderfully marvellous to hear wisdom from the mouth of a politician. I was beginning to think it not possible. Thank you for sharing. It gives me hope for our future.

It’s reawakened my interest in politics Norah – so many years of feeling it was all so much rhetoric and selling off and out for the almighty dollar – and now we suddenly have ideals and practicality and kindness……. It makes my heart swell with hope for the future too!

The cards are lovely, my favorite is “She packed up her potential. . .” that is great! Siddy’s pic is priceless. He’s like “yes, everyone knows I’m adorable, now take the picture and be done.” And how wonderful to be proud of your leader and what a great message. Ours is such an embarrassment, his performance at the UN was ridiculous. I really miss the Obamas.

The little motto cards are popular – I should make more! It is nice to be proud of our leader! I haven’t had reason to be for a very long time. Your situation is made worse by the Obamas immediately preceding the current incumbent. They were an admirable and graceful pairing!

Siddy’s eyes in the header photo are adorable. I could hardly tear myself away to look at all the other loveliness in your post. 😀 Loveliness and laughter, I should say. I laughed out loud reading the card about singing opera in the shower. And, I, too, have been following Jacinda’s trip to the UN. I am so proud of her. It is indeed a lovely feeling to have a leader, a politician, whom I can truly admire. I went to hear Jacinda speak at the 125th Suffragette Event in Christchurch. She was brilliant, honest, natural, charming, strong, and kind!

I haven’t felt proud of our country’s representative since the days of Big Norm – and that is so long ago I’ve forgotten why….. It’s a lovely feeling isn’t it. Glad you laughed at the shower card – only those who sing in the shower – or who live with someone who sings in the shower – will appreciate that one 🙂

He took the initial nuclear free stance and was buried on my birthday many many years ago….. and I cried but no longer recall why. My political interest/understanding was opened by him I think and maybe that was why.

You’re very talented. Those inky melt cards are gorgeous. And sometimes snail mail is the only way.
Nice to have a PM you respect. All political careers end in failure of course or so the cliche tells us so a lot will be waiting for the fall. Here’s hoping she bucks that trend. I wonder if I’ll live to see the day here when a politician reaches that level. I doubt it if only because to reach the top of s party here you have to compromise so much you’re tainted before you get that chance. Ruth Davidson leader of the Scottish Tories hinted at s different possibility but she’s pregnant and says she doesn’t want the top job. Shame.
Oh and Siddy is looking especially bonny

I agree, I think the ivory tower syndrome must be watched out for also. That has seen many a politician fall from grace. What Jacinda does have working for her is being a pragmatic farm girl, albeit transported to a big city girl; a partner who is grounded and practical and a country that won’t let her change her values quietly. She also knows who she is, so doesn’t feel the need to pee on posts furiously to shore up her low self esteem. 🙂
Siddy thanks you for noticing.

What a gorgeous array of cards, it looks like you have had such fun making them. My favourite is the bird with boots – so cute!
I absolutely LOVE your Prime Minister and have shared quite a few things about her on Facebook. What a superb woman and what a superb role model. An antidote to the numpties who are trying to run/ruin the Northern Hemisphere.

I’m very fond of the bird with boots too – I love quirky things like that!

The story of how Jacinda became our PM is really interesting too Sandra. She was chosen to stand as Labour Leader just 7 weeks before the General Election – all the old boys thought they were home and hosed and got quite a shock when it didn’t turn out that way – then they spent the next six months instructing her on why she couldn’t do any of the things she intended to do – and did. She makes my heart sing and gives us all hope for the future! We’ve always been a bit radical down here – remember nuclear free (still are) environmental ocean freedom riders (still doing that) and lets not forget saving the worlds largest and only nocturnal, flightless parrot…… ❤

I love your cards but the amount I send out now has reduced massively. It’s a shame really but seems to be the way things are going. I probably only send out about 20 Christmas cards now whereas it used to be getting on for 100. I have started getting e-cards from people but I’m not keen and won’t send them myself although I do understand the reasoning behind them.
Siddy is looking gorgeous – if a little suspicious. Of my three dogs only one will model for me willingly and even more so if I hold a tennis ball above the camera as he is on a constant mission to run after tennis balls. I saw a ‘dog selfie’ kit in a local shop the other day and wondered what it was. Apparently, it’s a tennis ball attached to a clip which then attaches to the top of your phone. Ridiciuous really – but It could work!

I was trying to recall who I knew who had three dogs, thank goodness you said! 🙂 I think the tennis ball thing might possibly work for the cat, but Siddy would just want to play fetch with it and would never sit still ……. So what I didn’t say in this post is that I used to make big cards, A4 folded in half, now I cut the A4 in half and get two cards from the same sheet – and now post them for the same cost of the original card. Artistically it is more challenging for me to make small cards which is why I’m on this mission to try and crack a few styles that I like. But by the time I get there I’ll probably have enough cards to last the rest of my life and the next one too 😀 Like you I find the real thing far more satisfying than e-cards, though I have sent them and probably will again when postage becomes more erratic and ridiculously priced.

Oooo! Such pretty cards! I love them all! People rarely send mail anymore. Often when I send a card they are so surprised!
Siddy is looking quite full of himself in that bandana to me!
Siddy reminds me of when I decided it was time to buy my then 18 year old son who has Down Syndrome, a suit. (he’s 23 now) He had no interest in suits before. Once I bought the suit and he put it on, I asked Mr Tom to take his picture. While poor My Tom was trying to get him to pose a more natural pose, I asked Mr Tom what was the problem. Apparently young men transform into dapper gentlemen with their suits on and only pose accordingly.
It was so cute.

Where do I start??? That’s such a wonderful variety of cards. I loved them all. They are so fun in different ways. I loved the lace look on the first batch, the cute cutout look on the second but I think by far the one that gave me the best giggle was the one where sometimes you need cake. You are so good at this. The problem I have with mailing some cards here is that if they are smaller or larger than standard size, the post office charges more. One thing for sure, Siddy is as dapper and adorable as ever.

The post office here has suddenly put prices up in all kinds of ways. The enjoyment of sending real cards and letters may soon be over before it gets started again. I’ve so much enjoyed sending out snail mail this year and now I’ve just discovered the rules have all changed. Maybe its a global thing. Siddy has always loved to have a camera aimed at him – Orlando believes it will steal his soul, so disappears if he sees it coming – or glares…… I just put on my best weird face 🙂